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Shalmali, Silk Cotton Tree (Salmalia malabarica)

Description of plant

Shalmali tree grows in tropical humid conditions and reaches height up to 20 meters and old trees reach maximum height of 60mts in wet tropical weathers. This tree is known as king of forest because of its beautiful flowers and massive size. This plant contains deciduous leaves and straight and stout trunk with light grey color and it bears hard, sharp and conical thorns. Semal tree bears red colored beautiful flowers and flowers are cup-shaped. Flowers of this plant are solitary or in cluster near the end of branches. Flowers are about 6-7inch long and 7 inches broad.

Flowers of this plant are made up of five red or scarlet, satiny and sometimes white colored petals. Flowering season of this plant is during January to march. Ball like fruits of this tree appear in March and April and fruits are filled with cotton like stuff. Immature fruits are light green in color and after ripening color changes to dark brown. Villagers gather the fruits of shalmali tree and take kapok i.e. cotton like substance.

General description

Red silk cotton tree, Indian kapok tree, shalmali, semal, simal, shemul are various names of Salmalia Malabarica. In Indian tradition it has one common place among the five sacred trees. In ayurvedic medicinal system this plant is used for its various medicinal properties like - aphrodisiac, astringent, stimulant, tonic, anti-diarrheal, anti-dysentery, anti-microbial and anti-pyretic. Nature has served every part of this plant with medicinal properties. Different parts of this plant are used for the treatment of fever, smallpox, leprosy and to cure rheumatism. Roots of this plant are stimulant, tonic, and aphrodisiac and are used to cure impotency. Fruits are stimulant, expectorant, diuretic, used for chronic inflammation and calculus. In males this beneficial herb is used to cure nocturnal emission and various disorders related to semen.

According to vagbhata shalmali is used through nasal routes to cure body aches and stiffness.

Stout trunk of this tree is useful for timber; soft wood of this plant is very useful. This tree is very famous for manufacturing purposes such as – moulds, matchbox and sticks, plywood and scabbards. Cotton like substace obtained from fruits is used to stuff sofas, quilts and pillows.

Habitat

Shalmali is mainly native to India, Burma. In India this plant grows throughout hotter areas up to altitudes of 1500mts. It is very common in deciduous forests, near rivers and also cultivated in gardens and roadsides in peninsular regions of India. It is also found in tropical southern Asia, Australia and Africa. It is also wildly distributed in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Classification

Kingdom - Plantae

Order - Malvales

Family - Bombacaceae

Names

Latin name - Salmalia Malabarica

Common name - Silk cotton tree, Kapok tree

Sanskrit name - Kantakadya, Picchila, Mocha, Raktapushpa, Sthirayu

Hindi name - Shalmali, Semal

Bengali name - Semul

Assamese name - Simolu

Gujarati name - Shimalo

Telugu name - Buruga

Tamil name - Sittan, Sanmali, Llavam

Kannada name - Buruga

Marathi name - Safetasarava

Urdu name - Sumbal

Malayalam name - Unnamurika

Manipuri name - Tera

Sinhala name - Katulmbul

Vietnamese name - Hoagao

Greek name - Vomvax malvarikos

Portuguese name - Painiera-vermehla-da

Ayurvedic properties

Hindi / Sanskrit

English

Rasa

Kashay

Taste

Astringent

Guna

Laghu, Snigdha

Physical Property

Light, Unctuous

Virya

Sheet

Potency

Cold

Vipaka

Madhura

Metabolic Property (After Digestion)

Sweet

Effects on Doshas

It balances pitta and vata doshas.

Charak Samhita

Sushrut Samhita

Shonitsthapana - Group of herbs that control excessive bleeding.

Pureesh viranjaniya - Herbs used to impart color to feces.

Kashay skanda - Herb that are astringent in taste.

Vedanasthapan - Group of herb with analgesic properties.

Priyangvadi gana.

Ancient verse about Salmalia Malabarica

Above shalok states that shalmali, mocha, picchila, purani, raktpushpa, sthirayu, kantkadya and tulini are various synonyms of salmalia. This herb has sweet taste after digestion with cold potency. In Ayurveda it is used as rasayan and it used in pacification of vata and pitta dosha. This herb is used to cure hemorrhoids and bleeding disorders.

Ayurvedic products from Salmalia Malabarica

It is 100% pure formulation of 13 rare herbs available at house of planet Ayurveda. This formulation works effectively to improve quantity and quality of shukra dhatu. This supplement is very beneficial for overall health of male reproductive system and enhances semen quality. This supplement is herbal blend of various effective ayurvedic herbs and free from chemicals, preservatives, starch, colors and binders. This herbal remedy is used for treating premature ejaculation.

This small book is an introduction to Ayurveda, written by Dr. Vikram Chauhan - MD (Ayurveda) This is useful for students, general public and people interested in natural remedies, yoga and herbs. Read More...